San Diego State University will be designated as a smoke-free campus by the time its students return Jan. 22, becoming the latest in a growing number of colleges to adopt a no-tobacco policy.

The school already was largely tobacco-free, but had 12 designated smoking areas, said SDSU spokesman Greg Block. He added that workers will remove ashtrays from those sites and set up sandwich boards announcing the new rules before the spring semester begins.

“I’m sure there will be people who don’t like the policy,” Block said, adding that the university has been working on ways to ease the transition to a smoke-free campus.

The new standard, which officially takes effect Wednesday, bans smoking in all buildings and vehicles owned, occupied or leased by San Diego State. Outdoor smoking on any campus property, including parking lots, also is prohibited. And the rules don’t allow distribution of free tobacco products, advertising of tobacco products and sponsorships from tobacco companies.

Block said SDSU took a cue from the University of California San Diego, which created an informational website about its own tobacco-free policy that was implemented in September.

San Diego State’s website, smokefree.sdsu.edu, includes information to help students, faculty and staff members quit smoking. There’s a phone number to make tobacco-cessation appointments with counselors, as well as a form that features links and phone numbers to find other quit-smoking programs.

The site also gives advice about how to talk with individuals who are spotted smoking on campus.

“As a member of the campus community, you play a vital role in supporting the policy, educating students, faculty, staff and visitors, and exemplifying social responsibility,” the website said.

People who come into contact with smokers are asked to be respectful and have sympathy, and the site offers a few scripts suggesting what to say in different situations.

“I wanted to let you know that SDSU is now a tobacco-free campus,” one sample script reads. “I know that this is a new policy and as a tobacco user, this must be a significant change for you. If you’re interested in our campus resources for tobacco cessation, a variety of in-person or online resources are listed at smokefree.sdsu.edu.”

As with the prohibition against skateboarding at SDSU, Block said he expects the no-tobacco rules will be enforced voluntarily by people on campus.

“It’s called social enforcement,” he said. “Our police officers are not going to be walking around and giving tickets.”

Some students found on campus last week questioned the effectiveness of the new policy.

“I’m not sure it will work,” said Jin Salamack, a junior studying graphic design. “I feel like the students who do smoke will end up smoking all over campus. Now they just smoke in the designated areas.”

Pradeep Reddy, an international graduate student studying TV and film, quit a 10-year smoking habit just six months ago. He also said he thinks the policy will be hard to enforce.

“I don’t see people quitting because of this,” he said.

Reddy said he has no problem with students smoking on campus, as long as they don’t leave cigarette butts behind.

Mark Losp, a junior studying business, is a nonsmoker who is happy to see the tougher ban because he said it will get rid of second-hand smoke.

“Right now, one of the designated smoking areas is by the engineering building, and a buddy says, ‘I wish they didn’t have it there because I can still smell it,’” Losp said.

UC San Diego’s smoking ban was implemented about four months before the UC system was scheduled to introduce a similar prohibition on its 10 campuses. Smoking has been prohibited at UC medical centers since 2011, and UCLA introduced its own smoking ban last April.

According to Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, more than 1,180 colleges nationwide have adopted smoke-free policies. Of those, 798 also have imposed tobacco-free rules.

Point Loma Nazarene University and most community colleges in the county prohibit smoking on campus.